President Donald Trump’s budget plan would be felt deeply via program cuts and eliminations proposed for education in South Carolina.

South Carolina Radio Network file photo.

University of South Carolina education law professor Derek Black told South Carolina Radio Network that the President’s budget does cut money for some education-related programs that would benefit students in poorer districts. “21st Century Learning Center Programs support after-school, before-school and summer school programs and would see funding cuts,” Black said. “ Well, we have a lot of low income students here. These programs are crucial to giving those kids a safe place to go before and after school.”

Black said the cuts to general education funding would adversely impact South Carolina because the state is still funding public education below pre-recession levels. “So we’re still in the whole when it comes to school funding and this new budget just makes matters worse.”

The President’s budget does include new money for certain programs such as school choice, but says the new money would be much smaller than cuts elsewhere. “South Carolina has relativity few vouchers and charters. So this new money — unless we move in a new policy direction — isn’t going to further the way we do education in South Carolina,” Black said.

Black said the proposed federal budget would also scale back a financial aid program for students in need along with teaching recruitment grants in South Carolina.